Congressman Denny Rehberg

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today sent a response to Senator Jon Tester (MT) regarding his request for a meeting to discuss his wilderness bill. Senator Tester sent a letter to Rehberg late last week asking the Congressman to meet him in his Senate office in Washington, DC to discuss the issue. Rehberg recently completed 22 public meetings in Montana on the subject of Senator Tester’s wilderness bill.

“While it’s clear that some fortunate interest groups have been very involved in writing this bill from the beginning, my goal is to include all Montanans who are impacted by this legislation,” said Rehberg, a member of the Congressional Sportsman’s Caucus. “Each of my twenty-two meetings has been open to the public. I certainly don’t see a reason why a meeting with Senator Tester should be any different.” Rehberg asked Senator Tester to meet with him in Montana, rather than in his Washington, D.C. office, and that the meeting be open to the public and the press.

In his letter, Rehberg also asked Senator Tester to join him in posting the individual comments Senator Tester heard from Montanans at his “open house” meetings on his website. “As Montana’s representatives to the U.S. Congress, we have the honorable distinction of setting for ourselves a higher standard of openness and transparency,” wrote Rehberg in his letter.

Finally, Rehberg noted that all of Senator Tester’s “open house” meetings took place after his bill had been written and introduced. Since Senator Tester’s most recent meeting was more than two months ago, Rehberg asked to see the most recent working draft of his wilderness bill that contained any changes resulting from the input he received at those meetings.

“I think Montanans would like to see how their ideas are being implemented in the bill,” said Rehberg. “Seeing what progress has already been made would certainly make our meeting more productive since we could avoid concerns that have already been addressed.”

Complete Letter Below:

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WASHINGTON, D.C. - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, released the following statement in response to his ‘nay’ vote on the “Restore Our American Mustangs Act” or the ROAM Act. This bill prevents responsible local management of wild horses and burros.

“From 2,500 miles away it’s easy condemn thousands of wild horses to a slow death from starvation. In Montana, where these beautiful animals are a part of our culture, the view is a little different. Whether its pine beetles, noxious weed infestations or raging wildfires, Montanans live with the consequences of federal meddling every day, and the remains of horses strewn about the landscape will symbolize yet another failed policy mandated from Washington, D.C.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, released the following statement in response to the announcement that the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is amending its brucellosis regulations concerning interstate movement of cattle by changing Montana’s classification from Class A to Class Free. In order for a state to attain and keep its Class Free status, all cattle herds within that state must remain free of Brucella abortus for a period of 12 consecutive months. The last brucellosis-affected cattle herd in Montana was detected in May 2008.

“This is great news for Montana livestock producers, who are a crucial component of our economy. This status gives Montana a clean bill of health, and it’s up to the state and federal government to find a way to keep it that way. We know where brucellosis contamination is coming from, and there’s no reason it should rear its head again. I’ll keep doing my part to protect the livelihoods of Montana ranchers, while at the same time fighting to open markets around the world for the best beef in America.”

Congressman’s Position on House Appropriations Committee Results in nearly $15 Million in Funding for Montana Projects

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg today announced $14.89 million in funding for projects throughout the state, including $11.75 million for five separate Conservation Easement projects.  The projects are Meeteetse Spires, Blackfoot Challenge-Nora Gulch, Rocky Mountain Front, Blackfoot River Special Recreation Management Area and Greater Yellowstone Area-Cooke City Mining Claims.  The funding was included in the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee bill for Fiscal Year 2010.

“Conservation has many faces, and Conservation Easement projects are among the most effective because they are built around the consensus of all interested parties,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Appropriations Committee.  “This funding will assist the grassroots efforts of local groups and willing land owners who have come together to preserve these important landscapes for generations to come.  I was happy to partner with President Obama on these conservation easements.  While we don’t agree on everything, ensuring future generations of Montanans have access to these diverse landscapes is something we all can support.”

President Obama included requests in his budget and Rehberg submitted them to the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee.  This cooperative two-pronged approach made inclusion in the final bill more likely.

Conservation easements are voluntarily conveyed, partial legal interests in land.  Since the 1975 passage of The Montana Open-Space Land and Voluntary Conservation Easement Act over 300,000 acres have been protected with conservation easements. They comprise ecological, open space, recreational and historic areas and can include wildlife habitat, natural and undisturbed ecosystems, wildlife and scenic river corridors, threatened or endangered species, recreational resources, pro­ductive agricultural land, educational resources and historic sites or structures.

Each easement is different because each parcel of land is unique, and each easement is designed in consultation with the landowner. All land uses not specifically given up in the easement deed remain with the landowner.

“We appreciate Congressman Rehberg’s support of these projects.   Landowner demand for easements on the Rocky Mountain Front grew by 30,000 acres this year,” said Bebe Crouse, Director of Communications at The Montana Chapter of the Nature Conservancy.  “These United States Fish & Wildlife Service easements support the viability of local ranches and communities in which they reside.   The Blackfoot Bureau of Land Management project represents the largest remaining public portion of the larger Blackfoot Community Project, which, when complete, will conserve more than 100,000 acres in diverse public and private ownership and will help maintain a rural way of life for that community.”

Testifies Before House Joint Subcommittee Water and Power/National Parks, Forests and Public Lands Subcommittee

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, testified today about the growing Western Pine Beetle infestation in Montana and throughout the west.

“Lately, massive infestations of western pine beetles have left their mark on more than the trees,” said Rehberg in his testimony. “Like a teenager with a paintball gun in an art museum, splotches of rust orange and mucus yellow began to corrupt the tapestry of our majestic forests. It started small, a few trees peppered in a forest of millions, but eventually entire mountainsides turned yellow with the infestation. Visitors were forgiven for thinking that they were just seeing the annual lifecycle of a deciduous forest, but the locals knew that something was very wrong.”

In his testimony, Rehberg explained the exponential growth of the pine beetle in Montana, particularly highlighting the problem between Helena and Butte. He also pointed to the successful forest management strategies employed near the ghost town of Garnet, Montana east of Missoula where the local Bureau of Land Management partnered with the Pyramid Mountain Lumber Company to remove up to 60 percent of the standing trees in the 320-plus-acre area.

Rehberg is no stranger to healthy forest management on federal lands. On May 5, he discussed the beetle problem when he testified against the Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act. He has also introduced legislation, Federal Land Assistance, Management and Enhancement (FLAME) Act which would allow responsible management of impacted forests for the creation of energy.

“The view and perspective for what is happening and how it should be fixed looks very different to an out-of-state bureaucrat flying overhead at 30,000 feet,” testified Rehberg. “When it comes to forest management, one size fits all solutions can often times cause more problems than they solve. We’ve got boots on the ground, and in the forests of Montana ready to do what is necessary to restore our forests to a healthy, green state.”

Complete Testimony Included Below:

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10,000 People Contact Rehberg’s Office; 96% Oppose “Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today testified against the Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act (NREPA), which carves out more than 24 million acres of new wilderness in Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, Eastern Washington and Eastern Oregon.  The bill’s primary sponsor, Rep. Carolyn Maloney (NY-14), whose New York district is less than 13 square miles, testified in favor of the bill.

“A Montanan who visited New York’s Central Park recently shared an observation with me,” said Rehberg in his testimony to the Subcommittee.  “Although Central Park was free of buildings and streets, many of the open spaces were cordoned off by fences.  Visitors could walk or run on centrally planned pathways, but the fields of grass around them were off limits.  NREPA models its philosophy for 24 million acres of land after the approach taken in the 843 acres of Central Park.  Look, but don’t touch.  This approach may work in Manhattan, New York, but it doesn’t work in Manhattan, Montana.  I can’t stress how crucial that distinction is, and that’s why I oppose this bill.”

Rehberg also testified against NREPA in 2007, opposing similar efforts to triple the amount of wilderness in Montana.  The new version is more ambitious, increasing the number of wilderness acres by almost a million.  None of the 72 current cosponsors are from the impacted regions.

More than 10,000 Montanans have contacted Rehberg’s office through letters, faxes, emails, survey responses and even a rapidly growing Facebook group to express an overwhelming 96% opposition to NREPA.

“For the Montanans who work, till, graze, hunt, fish, hike, camp and enjoy this land, conservation is not only a daily personal choice; it’s our way of life,” said Rehberg.  “Real conservation isn’t about making tough decisions for someone else who lives thousands of miles away, yet that’s exactly what NREPA does.”

Full 2009 Testimony Below

House Resources Committee Release Here

Rehberg’s 2007 Testimony (mp3) Here

Facebook Group “Don’t Mess With the West” Here

Testimony:

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today released the following statement in response to the announcement by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regarding the removal of the Northern Rocky Mountain Wolf Population in Montana and Idaho from the Endangered Species List.

“Montanans who have eagerly awaited the return of wolf management authority to the state had been dealt another blow when a lawsuit by a group with an extreme agenda obstructed the decision to delist the wolf.  As a rancher, I have seen first-hand the impact that the inflexible, federal management of wolves can have on our state’s livestock producers.  I am pleased by this decision to recognize the success of the wolf population recovery in Montana and look forward to working with Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks as they take over management.” 

WASHINGTON, DC - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today contacted National Park Service Director Mary Bomar encouraging her to support snowmobile access in Yellowstone National Park.
“Every year I have to explain to my urban colleagues the importance of snowmobiling to the Yellowstone community,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Appropriations Committee. “Snowmobiling plays a critical role in the local economy and provides access to public lands for thousands who wouldn’t otherwise have it. Today, I urged Director Bomar to continue to support an industry that’s important to Montana and a recreational opportunity that’s important to all Americans.”

The letter was cosigned by members of the Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho congressional delegations.

“While we are obligated to preserve these parks for future generations, we feel there is also an obligation to the current generation to allow access to these public lands,” said Rehberg and cosigners in the letter. “We believe that reasonably managed snowmobile use, which allows the public to enjoy some of our nation’s most valued possessions, can be consistent with the goals of conservation and preservation.”

Letter:

The Honorable Mary Bomar

Director

National Park Service

1849 C Street NW

Washington, D.C. 20240

Dear Director Bormar:

We are writing to convey our concern for the continued public winter access to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway.

As residents of the intermountain west we share a love of the outdoors and the beautiful lands our region offers. As such, the preservation of our national parks is something we are deeply concerned about. We recognize that these parks require skillful and careful management to ensure that future generations will experience these national treasures.

While we are obligated to preserve these parks for future generations, we feel there is also an obligation to the current generation to allow access to these public lands. We believe that reasonably managed snowmobile use, which allows the public to enjoy some of our nation’s most valued possessions, can be consistent with the goals of conservation and preservation. Therefore, we strongly encourage the Park Service to maintain a significant level of oversnow access to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway.

We fully recognize this is a complex issue. We appreciate the efforts of the Park Service thus far, and look forward to working with you on this important matter.

Sincerely,

WASHINGTON, DC - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, this week contacted U.S. Forest Service Regional Forester Tom Tidwell regarding a decision to no longer allow waivers for the extension of hunting camps in the Lewis and Clark National Forest.
“For many Montanans, spending weeks in the mountains on a hunting trip is part of a long family tradition,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Appropriations Committee. “However, the new Forest Service decision would limit the ability of sportsmen to spend hunting season camping on public land. I’m urging the Forest Service to take a long, hard look at how this will affect public access opportunities for Montana’s hunters.”

Recently, Forest Service officials announced a decision to end their policy of allowing waivers for extended hunting camps on Lewis and Clark National Forest beyond the usual 16 day camping limitation after this season. The decision will prevent many hunters who spend the entire hunting season on National Forest land from doing so in the future.

“As a hunter and lifelong proponent of our state’s hunting heritage, I ask you to reconsider this blanket policy that will limit hunting opportunities in the Lewis and Clark National Forest,” said Rehberg in a letter. “A site specific approach to managing long term camping during hunting season is a much more appropriate response.”

Letter:

October 26, 2007

Tom Tidwell

Regional Forester

USDA Forest Service - Northern Region One
P.O. Box 7669
Missoula, MT 59802

Dear Mr. Tidwell,

In August of this year, President George W. Bush signed an Executive Order “to facilitate the expansion and enhancement of hunting opportunities and the management of game species and their habitat.” In signing this order, President Bush asked federal agencies to recognize the importance of hunting to our nation’s heritage. It has recently come to my attention that a decision issued by the District Rangers in the Lewis and Clark National Forest will detrimentally impact this hunting heritage for several Montana families.

Since 1982, Mr. Nick Dole of Billings, along with several friends and family members, has set up camp in the Jefferson Division of the Lewis and Clark National Forest. In order to camp for longer than the 16 day camping limitation, Mr. Dole has applied for and received a waiver in order to be able to camp for the entire five week hunting season. This tradition, sanctioned for a quarter of a century by the Forest Service, has become an important part of Mr. Dole’s hunting heritage. Unfortunately, a decision by the Forest Ranger in the Jefferson District will end the policy of allowing waivers for extended hunting camps after this hunting season. I have also learned that all of the other Districts within the Lewis and Clark National Forest have adopted the same policy, impacting many Montanans like Mr. Dole who have enjoyed extended hunting camps for years.

As a hunter and lifelong proponent of our state’s hunting heritage, I ask you to reconsider this blanket policy that will limit hunting opportunities in the Lewis and Clark National Forest. It is my belief that managers of our public lands should take an active role working to increase hunting opportunities for our citizens. With recent evidence indicating a drop in the number of hunters across the country, the need for this role has become increasingly apparent. Reversing this decision would be another small, but important step in promoting hunting here in Montana. Instead of a blanket policy, a site specific approach to managing long term camping during hunting season is a much more appropriate response.

Thank you for your timely consideration of this request.

Sincerely,

Denny Rehberg

Member of Congress

WASHINGTON, DC - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, joined House colleagues in contacting House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey and Ranking Member Jerry Lewis urging them to oppose anti-hunting language included in the Foreign Operations Appropriations bill.
The language included in the bill would prohibit any U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) funds from going to Africa for “programs that support or promote recreational, sport, or trophy hunting as a conservation tool.” USAID provides economic and humanitarian assistance to countries around the world.

“Hunting has been proven to be both an effective means of conservation and an economic stimulus for communities across the African continent,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Appropriations Committee. “It’s critical that as part of our international support of wildlife conservation abroad, we continue to utilize this tool. This language would allow the anti-hunting political ideology of a few member of Congress to get in the way of the effective wildlife management being done in Africa.”

“We disapprove of this language because hunting is, in fact, a proven and useful tool for wildlife conservation,” said Rehberg in a letter. “Hunting operations conserve wildlife on 540,000 square miles, which is 22 percent more land than is found in the national parks of Africa. Trophy hunting by 18,500 hunters generates $200 million annually for remote rural areas in the 23 African countries that allow hunting. This revenue funds local, national, and international conservation efforts, but also flows to the local people and economy.”

Letter:

Dear Chairman Obey and Ranking Member Lewis:

We write in opposition to language included in the committee report for H.R. 2764, the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2008, and ask that it not be included in any future conference committee report or omnibus legislation.

The language we refer to prohibits the use of funds from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to support conservation programs in Africa that utilize hunting as a conservation tool, and begins at the end of page 61:

The Committee is concerned about reports that USAID directly and indirectly supports recreational, sport and trophy hunting in its assistance programs in Africa. The Committee directs USAID to provide no funds to programs that support or promote recreational, sport, or trophy hunting as a conservation tool.

We disapprove of this language because hunting is, in fact, a proven and useful tool for wildlife conservation. Hunting operations conserve wildlife on 540,000 square miles, which is 22 percent more land than is found in the national parks of Africa. Trophy hunting by 18,500 hunters generates $200 million annually for remote rural areas in the 23 African countries that allow hunting. This revenue funds local, national, and international conservation efforts, but also flows to the local people and economy.

U.S. federal law recognizes the value of hunting to conservation, as evidenced by the National Wildlife Refuge Improvement Act of 1996 and the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act. Furthermore, a series of laws passed since 1987, beginning with the African Elephant Conservation Act, provide funding for foreign activities that benefit wildlife, including hunting.

These U.S. statutes, along with non-governmental organizations around the world and the African governments and people who benefit from such programs, all acknowledge that hunting provides an economic incentive for wildlife and habitat conservation in areas where no other means of conservation have succeeded. Therefore, we urge you to reject the above language and ensure that it remains out of future reports and legislation.

Sincerely,